DOOMDOOMA, May 15 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the Dhola-Sadiya bridge today, which is the country’s longest bridge and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 26.

The Chief Minister held a meeting at Zero Point of Dhola with the officials of Navayug Engineering Company, which is engaged in the construction of the bridge. He also interacted with senior police and civil officials. Sonowal directed the officials of Navayug Engineering Company to complete the remaining works of the bridge and hand it over to the Government by May 22.

Sonowal also reviewed preparations of the Prime Minister’s visit to inaugurate the bridge. The responsibility of the PM’s bridge inauguration programme was given to PWD Minister Parimal Shukla Baidya and Power Minister Pallablochan Das along with all the BJP MPs and MLAs from Upper Assam.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the bridge at 11 am on May 26 and address a rally thereafter. Sonowal today said that over one lakh people from Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts are expected to participate in the rally. The CM therefore instructed the PWD officers to repair NH-37 from Dergaon in Golaghat district to the new bridge within seven days, which is presently in a deplorable condition.

On the other hand, the remaining work of the bridge, mainly construction of the two approach roads on either end of the bridge is going on a war footing. In the meantime, security has been beefed up in entire Tinsukia district, including Sadiya police district, in view of the Prime Minister’s visit.